The sunny side of Mount Holmgren

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Most people “know” Mike Holmgren from the sound bites they see on TV, or as the stoic figure gazing at seemingly nothing – and in the opposite direction – along the Seahawks sideline after a poor play in a game.

It doesn’t help his image that every time the team’s head coach erupts during training camp it’s usually the most noticeable – and notable – thing that happens in practice, and dutifully reported by all of us who cover the team.

But I thought I’d share an anecdote that shows a different face of Mount Holmgren – the sunny side.

It occurred Friday morning, when I stopped Holmgren on his way to practice to hand him a Tootsie Roll Pop – because I had just become a grandfather for the first time (no cigars here, because I don’t smoke and can’t stand the smell of a burning stogie).

Holmgren congratulated me and then told a story about his oldest granddaughter, Emerson. Her father wasn’t going to be able to attend a father-daughter fishing trip for school, so grandpa was recruited.

The conversation went something like this …

Emerson: “So you’re going to go fishing with me, grandpa?”

Grandpa: “Yeah. We’ll have a good time. It should be fun, don’t you think?”

Emerson: “Grandpa, have you ever been fishing before?”

Grandpa: “Well, no.”

Emerson: “Mo-ah-ah-ah-om! Grandpa’s never even been fishing before!”

Holmgren: “Suddenly, I wasn’t good enough to take her fishing. But we did go, and we did have a good time.”